Automobile awning



n 0c@ 15, 1929. E. E, McGREw AUTOMOBILE AWNING Filed sept. 1'?, 1926 /3 fe MG16/am 3mm Patented Oct. 15, 1929 UNITED STATES 'PATENT OFFICE EARL MCGREW, OF LINCOLN, NEBRASKA,v ASSIGNOR TO MCGREW MAOHINE vCOM- PANY, or LINCOLN, NEBRASKA,

A CORPORATION OF NEBRASKA AUToMoBTLE AWNING j Application filed September 17, 1926. Serial N'o. 136,182.

My invention relates to awnings and shade rollers of the kinds which are especially adapted for use in the window openings of coupes and sedans and other closed automobiles. It is my object to provide a shade roller and clamping arrangement of such construction that it may be quickly and easily seated in or removed from the window frame or casing and so that the awning may be firmly held against flapping in any of its operative positions. Especially is itmy object to provide a frame for the awning roller with meansfor firmly seating the frame in such position that the window may be opened and closed without interference fro-,m the awning or its frame, and without the necessity of rel moving the awning and its frame to afford clearance for the window. It is also my 0bject to provide any arrangement of the kind specified which is firm in construction, durable in use, neat and attractive in appearance, and of the utmost simplicity of operation. A l I-Iavingin iview these objects and others which will be mentioned in the following description, I will now refer to the drawings,

in which Figure 1 is a view in perspective of a portion of an automobile with my invention applied thereto.

Figure 2 is a perspective View of the shade roller and the frame, all parts of the device being shown except the awning.

Figure 3 is a sectional view of the awning roller showing both the roller spring and the spring which spreads the arms of the attachment. j

Figure 4 is a view in perspective of the clip for fastening the shade to the roller.

V Figure 5 is an end edge view of one ofthe clamping arms, the figure showing also the edge of the rubber padding.

Figure 6 is a sectional view of the'side of the window casing of the automobile and showing particularly the vrelation of the clamping arm to the window and its casing.

The rollerk shown at 10 is tubular with cup shaped caps 11 driven into the ends of the roller.V The caps 11 are provided vwithcentral apertures for receiving the axes having disks 13 secured thereto,'p'referably by welda portion of V ing. The space within the roller 10 between the disks 13 has a coil spring 14` bearing against both disks to keep the disks 13 spread under the compression of the spring. Surrounding each axle 12 within the roller 10 is a coil spring 15 which is anchored at 16 to the cap 11 and at 17 to the axle 12. It is thus obvious that when the shade roller is used in its ordinary way to unroll the awning, the springs 15 will be subjectedto considerable tension which will wind up the awning on the roller 10 as soon as the'awning is released. It will also be obvious that either axle 12 may be pushed inwardly into the shade roller 10 against the compression of the spring 14 and that the axle 12 will resume ts nrmal position when the pressure is reease The arms 18 vare vertical and parallel to ,l

each other and they are ladapted to be seated against the inner edge surfaces of the stiles of the vwindow frame or casing, they being held tightly against the stiles the pressure of the spring 14 acting through the axles 12 and by other means set forth in the following description. The arms 18 are formed from strips of sheet steel which is folded upon itself as shown in Figure 5, the opposite edge being turned to form a portion 18a for entering the window groove between the felt strip and the stile as shown in Figure 6.` In general, the portion 18L will vbe inclined at a right In the case of most automobiles the angle be-. 'tween the portion 18a and the main portion will have a slightly rounded vertex but in some cars, notably the present lclosed models of Ford cars, an additional curve adjacent the vertex must be provided as shown in Figures 5 and 6. For preventing injury to the paint on the stile I have provided a layer 18u of protective cushioning material such as soft rubber or the like, which layer may be either secured to the arm 18 or be placed in position when the awning frame is positioned in the window opening. It should be noted in this connection that the installation of my awning frame does not necessitate the use of nails or screws or any of the usual fastening devices which mar the finish of the car and which leave scars when the device is removed from the car.

rlhe arm 18 is provided at its lower end with an arcuate rack 19 as best shown in Figure 2. This rack is preferably made from sheet metal and it is secured, preferably by welding, to the arm 18. Projecting inwardly from and secured to the arm 18 is a short arm 2O which is screw threaded at its free end portion. The bail 21 is provided with eyes at its extremities .for engaging the arms 20, the arms of the bail being in contact with the notched portion of the rack 19. The resiliency of the bail is suilicient to ordinarily hold the arms in engagement with the rack, but in order to make this engagement more certain there may l be provided a washer 22, a compression spring 23 and thumb nut 221 for each of the arms 20. The spring 23 acting against the washer 22 forces the arm of the bail into the notches of the rack 19, and the compression of the spring 23 may be regulated by means of the thumb nut 211. rEhe resiliency of the bail is, however, great enoughto press the arms 18 outwardly against the window stiles to thus hold the awning frame rigidly in place.

The structure shown in the Figures 2 and 3 is, of course, designed as a support for the awning which is preferably made from canvas or other suitable material. rIlhe lower po-rtion of the awning is stitched to provide it Cil with a loop for receiving the horizontal portion of the bail 21. The upper edge portion of the awning may be secured to the roller 10 in any desired manner but for the present purpose I have provided a clip 25 as shown in Figure 1l, which is spot welded as shown in Figures 2 and 3 to the roller 10, this being my preferred form of fastening device. rIhe clip 25 is provided with pointed ends so that it is only necessary to thrust the fabric down over the points of the clip and to then spread the arms of the clip in the manner common with paper fasteners land the like.

The awning as above described is designed primarily for use in automobiles.' In applying it to the window of an automobile it is only necessary to snap the device into place with the portions 18a in the window grooves where it will be held as irmly and securely as though it were permanently attached. A slight pull on the end of the awning will unwind the awning and at the same time it will wind the springs which cause the awning to wind automatically on the roller. When the awning has been unwound a suflicient distance the arms of the bail will be seated in one of the notches of the arcuate segment to thus hold the awning in its desired position. To release the awning and to cause it to bewound up on the roller, it is only necessary to Adisengagethe arms of the bail vfrom, the arcuate segment,

The support and the awning in no way interfere with the opening and the closing of the window. I/Vhenever desired, as at the end of the season or at any other time, the entire device may be removed from the window opening as easily as it was put in place. In use, the awning is positively held in any position so that it cannot flap in the wind.

While I have described my invention in its relation to the window openings of closed automobiles, itis obvious that it'may be used to advantage in the window openings of other structures. For example, the device may be used in summer cottages and in similar places where it will possess the same advantages which it has in its use with automobiles. I, therefore, do not desire to be restricted tothe specific use of the device as described.

It will, of course, be obvious to those skilled in the art that the particular embodiment of my invention herein shown. andv described may be variously changed and modified with? outdepartingfrom the spirit of my invention or sacrificing the advantages thereof. Y It will, therefore, be understood that thev disclosure herein is illustrative only and that my invention is not limited thereto. j

Having thus described my invention in such full, clear, andexact terms thatitsconstruction and utility will be readily understood by others skilled in the art to which it'pertains, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent ofthe. United States is: f l

1. In an eXpansible automobile awning frame of the type adapted to be mounted be tween the jambs of a windowframe and hav.- inoQ a pair of side plates connected at their upper ends to the expansible portions ofthe frame, the plates having out-turned lips adapted to enter the narrow slits in the win,-

dow j ambs, a resilient bail having its free ends pivotally mounted'upon the lower ends of said plates for urging the lower ends of the plates outwardly against the window jambe, arcuate racks mounted on the lower endsof said plates concentric to thepivotal-connecf -tions of the bail and plates, the teeth of'said racks being` inclined outwardly and downwardly to engage the arms lof thebail and positively hold thelatter .againstupward 'swinging movement, inwardly projecting arms carried upon the lower ends of said plates about which said bailis adapted to swing, springs on said inwardly extending arms, adjusting means mounted onthearms and engaging the spring, and frictionwashers mounted on the arms between the springs and the ends of the bail, said springs adaptedto urge the ends of the bail outwardly'an'd hold the bail in locked position on said racks.w y

2. In an expansible automobile awning frame of the type vadapte-d tobe mounted be-` tween the ambs of a window frame andhavg ing window jamb engaging'plates connected at their upper ends to the eXpansible portions of the awning frame, the plates having out-turned lips adapted to enter the narrow slits in the window jambs, an arm extending inwardly from the lower end of each plate, a resilient bail pivotally connected at its free ends on said arms, arcuate racks carried by the plates concentric to the arms and having downwardly directed teeth for interlocking engagement with the arms of the bail to hold the bail in adjusted position, a spring on each of said arms, and adjusting means carried by the arms for binding the springs against the ends of the bail to yieldingly urge the arms of the bail into engagey ment with said racks.

In testimony whereof I ailix my signature.

EARL E. MOGREW. 

